Become A Jaguar 
Request Info 
Apply Texans praise his vision, energy, and breadth of accomplishments.
SAN ANTONIO — Chancellor John Sharp, the longest-serving chancellor in the history of the Texas A&M University System, has announced his plans to retire on June 30, 2025. Under Chancellor Sharp’s leadership, the A&M System experienced many historic milestones, including a historic building boom for improved facilities at the system’s 11 universities and eight state agencies, the creation of the Chancellor’s Research Initiative to recruit elite faculty, and much more.
Sharp, who became Chancellor in September 2011, sent a letter Monday thanking past and present regents, system employees, and elected officials for their years of support.
“Leading this grand enterprise has been one of the great privileges of my life,” Sharp said. “I feel a deep sense of gratitude to all of you who have shown confidence in me and contributed to our collective endeavor. Together we have lifted the Texas A&M System to historic heights.”
The Board of Regents will conduct a national search in the coming months for Sharp’s successor, said Chairman Bill Mahomes.
“It’s an understatement to say we have giant boots to fill,” said Mahomes, a regent since 2015. “John Sharp is an Aggie icon – bigger than life – and we all are the beneficiaries of his bold leadership. He has made the System smarter, more innovative, and more responsive to the needs of Texans in every corner of the state.”
Mahomes is among many Texans praising Sharp for his dedication and visionary leadership.
I’d like to personally thank Chancellor John Sharp for his innovative leadership, dedication, and vision,” said A&M-San Antonio President Salvador Hector Ochoa. “It’s been an honor and a privilege to work with him since I started as president nearly a year ago. Chancellor Sharp has done so much to strengthen the Texas A&M University System and create a pathway to future success for all the system’s universities, including A&M-San Antonio. I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.”
Porter Garner, longtime president of The Association of Former Students at Texas A&M University, said Sharp is the best chancellor the System has ever had. “No chancellor in history has ever advanced Texas A&M and the Texas A&M University System like John Sharp has.”
“Texas is grateful for Chancellor John Sharp’s unwavering commitment to improving higher education in the State of Texas,” Governor Greg Abbott said. “His extraordinary leadership throughout his time as Chancellor of the Texas A&M University System provided young Texans with the tools they need to thrive in our booming economy.”
Phil Adams, who served on the Board of Regents during the first 10 years of Sharp’s tenure, applauded the breadth of Sharp’s accomplishments.
“The A&M System has become a dynamo nationally since John Sharp became chancellor,” Adams said. “He has had more vision, energy, and know-how than anyone else. Every year he had a big idea, and it got done.”
Some of the Sharp era achievements:
- A historic building boom with $11.4 billion for 306 projects that improved facilities at all 11 System universities and eight state agencies.
- Recent projects approved at A&M-San Antonio include new student housing, a recreation center, and the Public Health and Education Building.
- The Chancellor’s Research Initiative built up key research fields by recruiting elite faculty. With additional support from the Governor’s University Research Initiative, the effort has led to a five-fold boost in faculty who are national research leaders as evidenced by membership in the elite National Academies in engineering, science, and medicine.
- The acquisition and growth of the Texas A&M School of Law, which has risen faster in national rankings than any law school in history. It is now considered No. 2 in Texas.
- A more detailed list of accomplishments is available here.
In his letter, Sharp noted proudly that “Texas A&M, in particular, has grown to become the school of choice, with one of the biggest enrollments in the nation” while “our culture, our traditions, and the patriotic fervor of our students remain intact. We reflect the great traditions and culture of the state of Texas.”
Sharp earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Texas A&M in 1972. He was a member of the Corps staff of the Corps of Cadets, and he was elected student body president.
Before becoming chancellor, he had decades of public service, beginning in 1978 when he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives. He later was elected to serve in the Texas Senate, on the Texas Railroad Commission and twice as state comptroller.
In 2017, Governor Greg Abbott named Sharp as the leader of the Commission to Rebuild Texas in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Sharp accepted the challenge and the unpaid position while continuing to serve as the chancellor of the A&M System.
“Chancellor Sharp rose to the occasion and helped ensure victims received all the necessary resources to recover,” Abbott said.
In his letter, Sharp said, “While I am retiring from this job, I will find ways to continue to serve the great state I love.”
He added, “One thing is for certain, I will never be too busy or too old to help Texas A&M and the Texas A&M System.”
The Chancellor’s letter is available here.
A downloadable video message from the Chancellor is available here.
############
About Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Established as a stand-alone university in 2009, Texas A&M University-San Antonio is a comprehensive four-year public university that reflects the culturally diverse, heritage-rich community it serves. Situated on nearly 700 acres in South San Antonio, the University offers 39 undergraduate degrees and 23 graduate degrees to about 7,620 students. A&M-San Antonio is home to the Henry G. Cisneros Institute for Emerging Leaders, the Cyber Engineering Technology/Cyber Security Research Center, and the Mays Center for Experiential Learning and Community Engagement. The University holds the Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) designation and is one of 39 higher education institutions in the U.S. to have received the Seal of Excelencia certification from Excelencia in Education for its support of Latino student success. More than 77 percent of A&M-SA students identify as Hispanic, and approximately 72 percent are the first in their families to attend college. A&M-San Antonio is a military-embracing institution; the University was recently awarded the 2023 Gold Veteran Education Excellence Recognition Award (VEERA) from the Texas Veterans Commission. Visit tamusa.edu for more information. #onamission